Who You Are
by Spawner
Summary: When Emma saves Regina from a riding accident, it brings light to something about her daughter Mary Margaret has possibly known this whole time. WAS A SwanQueen oneshot!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- Soo...while writing Chapter 6 of Follow Her, Protect Her, this idea that's been haunting me for a month or two now has actually come to light. I started writing, and...Yeah, couldn't stop. As always, let me know what you think! And to my followers, stay tuned for Chapter 6 of FHPH :)**

It was a bright, sunny day at the Storybrooke stables.

Clear skies, beautiful wisp of a breeze, and a scenery of freshly bloomed flowers in time for the beginning of Spring.

It was appropriate enough for a family picnic; two parents, their daughter, and their grandson in tow.

Horses neighed as the small boy reached his hand out, a cube of sugar placed in palm.

With the help of his grandfather, the boy mounted the horse selected for him, hands shaking slightly as he grabbed the reins.

"Now, Henry, if you show him fear he can't trust you. And if he can't trust you, then the experience won't go so well for horse or rider."

"Got it, grandpa," Henry smiled, sitting up straight, ready to tackle on his first lesson.

But it abruptly stopped with a screech that sounded like the scratching of a disk on a record player.

"_Miss Swan_?!"

"Oh no..." The blonde video taping the whole thing groaned, pressing the record button on the camera to turn it off; avoiding any embarrassing moments shown on the video starring her son.

"What the hell are you doing with _my_ son?! Are you trying to kill him? Your harebrained mother knows the dangers of riding a horse without proper training. Yet she'd allow an eleven-year-old to do it, thinking the results to go oh so candidly, am I right Snow?"

The pixie-haired woman rolled her eyes, at the former Evil Queen, knowing how gruff the woman could be at times.

The blonde sensed the tension, which she couldn't have in the air for long if they were to get back to the activity at hand.

"Regina, don't worry about the kid. He's fine. Look, if it makes you feel better, why don't you show him how its done? Apparently you were some kind of motorist back in your days, weren't you?" Emma grinned, but the brunette narrowed her eyes at the idiot.

"Cars have motorists, Miss Swan. Horses have handlers, or riders. But of course I wouln't expect someone with the brain of a goldfish to understand anything about the fine beauty of a horse."

_Annnd...there she goes with the insults_...the blonde quickly ignored the woman, walking over to one of the horses, grinning up at the creature.

"C'mon, Regina. Unless you're chicken? Did you lose all of your skill in your old age?"

"_Excuse me_? I'll show you old, you dimwit," glaring at the woman, but breathing out her excess rage as she changed her fuck-me heels into riding boots, the brunette mounted the horse, glancing at her son.

"Henry, watch me. This is how to truly ride a horse."

She hadn't experienced it in so long that when the horse took off, the thrill caused her heart to leap into her chest.

She was finally free, and the feeling lingered all the way down to her bones.

This is what the young girl who had happiness and naiveté deemed as independence.

When the horse had traveled too far a distance, she turned around and started to come back, seeing her son on the horizon, shouting and cheering "go Mom!" something that had not only warmed her heart, but distracted her for a moment.

And that distraction led to her foot slipping, kicking the horse on its side resulting in it bucking back out of pain.

Regina slid down the horse as he spiraled out of control, whinnying in complete shock.

The sound pierced Emma Swan's ears from afar as she looked up from her conversation with Henry to see a horrific sight of obscured restraint coming from Regina.

She didn't think twice.

She didn't have to.

The horse she had created a quick bond with was easily acceptable, as it didn't take much for Emma to jump on its back and rush to save the brunette.

David and Henry cheered her on, but one woman watched in the background, a horror-stricken look upon her face; her heart melting in her chest as a flashback replayed itself through her mind.

She had seen this before...

The tables had been turned now, it appeared.

But one other thing bothered Snow White.

She was clumsy at riding. Always had been; being saved as a child from a horseback incident proved that.

And Charming wasn't exactly the best rider in the world either.

So how-

Her thoughts were cut short as the blonde neared her destination, and she soon found herself cheering her daughter on as well, the ideas spewing through her mind being pushed back momentarily.

That place in her mind where she knew the truth.

"Regina! Hey!" the blonde shouted, a grin forming upon her lips.

"Miss Swan! So nice of you to finally show up! As you can see, I'm in a bit of a bind here!"

Emma rolled her eyes, "really? We have to resort to antics? C'mon, now. I'm trying to save your ass, so slow the damn thing down!"

"Don't you think I would if I could?!" At that point, her grip on the reins slipped, and she started to fall, only to be grabbed and pulled up by the Savior herself.

"You...You saved me...Thank you. You are a rider of considerable skill, Miss Swan." Regina actually smiled at that moment, her hand resting upon Emma's own.

"It's nothing, really...I mean...You're the Mayor and I'm..." she laughed softly, not knowing how else to word it.

"...I'm...me."

_What?_

Brown orbs gazed into blue-green irises, searching for something incomprehensible to anyone but the brunette.

She had heard those words before...

In a completely different manner than they were spoken now.

_My life...it's...well it's far from life as queen..._

The shock finally slithered its way to her very being, and Regina finally succumbed to the loss of consciousness.

"Regina!"

* * *

_Regina..._

_Regina, can you hear me?_

Yes...I...I can hear you.

_You have to do it..._

_You have to live on..._

But I can't...

Not without you.

_I believe you can._

_Let me go, Regina._

_And.._

Please, don't say it.

_And learn to love again..._

The woman was jerked awake from her dream, sitting up in bed with a loud gasp.

"Where the hell am I?!" the defensive shout caused padded footsteps to be heard from another room.

"You're awake!" Emma grinned, rushing over to the woman's side, examining the bandage on the right side of her forehead.

"That's some fall you took there, Madame Mayor. Knocked your senses clear out."

"Miss Swan, care to tell me what the hell I'm doing in my own room? And where is Henry?"

"The kid is with my parents. I didn't want him to bother you. I told him you needed rest. You fell of a horse, Regina, don't you remember? I was able to pull you to safety, but when you fainted, you fell off and hit your head. You were bleeding pretty badly. But I said the word 'hospital' and everyone looked at me like I was crazy. So Mary Margaret patched you up and we brought you home."

"You let _Snow White_ 'patch me up'? Are you insane?!" The glared gaze set upon the woman would've turned her to stone if she had the power to do so.

"What's so bad about that?"

"The woman has the mind of an infant! Did her singing birds carry me to my room, or was that the lunk of a man you call your father?"

Emma had enough of the insults, getting up to walk out, but her wrist was soon captured in a vice-grip.

"Please, don't leave...I'm sorry. I just...ugh, I knew it wasn't a good idea to take Henry to the stables. He could've been hurt!"

"Ok, listen, enough about Henry. This isn't about him. This is about us. So, I'm going to lay down a few ground rules with you, because apparently you need some TLC, and I unfortunately am kind enough to put my ass and dignity on the line to do so. My name is Emma. Em-ma. Are you bad at pronunciation? Because if so, I can write it down to help you sound it out."

When the other woman rolled her eyes, she continued.

"Secondly, my parents were nice enough to carry you, Your Unconsciousness, into the damn bedroom and make sure nothing bad happened. So can you ease up on the mocking a little? They don't deserve that."

"Fine. I'll _try_. Are you happy?"

"Yes. Are you all right? You had quite the fall," Emma pulled up a chair, sitting next to the brunette.

"I'm fine. Thanks to you. How did you even know the proper way to maneuver a horse? Have you had training?"

"It's strange, I've never ridden one before. I guess I saw you were in trouble, and I wanted to save you."

She didn't fail to notice the reddening blush flashing upon Regina's cheeks.

There was tension there.

For as long as the blonde had come to town, she knew the she and the woman in bed had always resorted to dancing around their true feelings.

"Regina?"

Emma watched as the woman turned her face away to block out onlooking eyes. But her hand rested under the brunette's chin, turning her so that they faced each other once more.

"Mis-Emma...Please...D..Don't.."

The blonde leaned forward a bit, their lips only a hairsbreadth apart; they could both feel each other's hot breath on their skin.

"Don't what, Regina?" The woman asked, nearing closer and closer.

Her heart in her throat as she swallowed it back down, the woman moved closer as well, shaking her head.

"Don't stop me..."

She leaned over, finally pressing their lips together when her eyes shot open, overwhelmed with a startling sense.

Her hands pushed on the woman's shoulders, and she gazed into the woman's eyes once again.

"Emma..."

"Regina don't...Please...This is what I've wanted. This is...Beyond the insults, the fighting. Everything...Don't pull away. _Please_."

Though it was against her wishes, second meeting of their lips forced the both of them to pull away as a flash of white light consumed them, leaving both women speechless.

"What-" But Regina was quickly cut off by a horror-stricken Emma as her hands touched her lips, then touched the brunette.

"I...I need to leave," the blonde whimpered, backing away; a different light seemed to shine in her bluish green eyes.

"Emma, what's wrong? You said you wanted this, why-?"

"Regina, I need to go!"

And with that, she stood up, running out the door, forgetting her promise to care for the brunette in bed.

* * *

Mary Margaret was making lunch for Henry, promising him they could visit his mother after Emma came back.

She did not expect her daughter to come rushing through the front door, pinning her to the wall with an angry glare.

"Why?!"

David nearly flew down the stairs, hearing the commotion as he grabbed his grandson and pulled him into another room, going back towards the confrontation.

"Emma, what the hell are you doing?! Get off of your mother!"

"No! Not until she tells me why...You knew, didn't you? All this time, you knew! Could you tell when I was born? Did you think I wouldn't remember?! Answer me!"

Snow's expression changed from shock to understanding as tears rushed down her cheeks.

"Yes...I knew."

"And that's why you tried to keep me away from her? Were you trying to destroy her happiness again?!"

"No, Emma, I...I didn't believe it myself. I never met him. But...There are things about you that yes, remind me of him. And that's how I knew. I didn't want you to get hurt. You know she's evil!"

"Ok, what is going on here? Who is _he_?" David asked with curiosity.

"You do remember...don't you?"

A voice behind them startled the three people in the room, turning towards a bandaged Regina, purple smoke vanishing at her feet.

"Charming...grab your wife and take yourselves for a walk. I...I need to talk to Miss...to Emma."

"Like hell I will." The man growled, reaching for the gun in his holster, but was soon stopped by his daughter.

"We need to talk, David. I'll...I'll explain later. Or maybe _Mom_ could do that. After all, this wasn't the first time she's kept something from her family."

"Emma, please..." the woman's eyes were on the brink of tears as she was led away by her husband.

"How much do you remember?" the approaching brunette asked, her hands resting on the blonde's cheek.

"Everything...I think I know now why Cora couldn't take my heart."

"Only half of it...You're...You're still a different person, there's still part of your heart in there."

"Is this real? I don't...I don't understand...Everything goes dark after a while."

"I think you know why...I brought you something." Regina pulled a ring out of her pocket, a treasure she held dear to her.

"But its yours...I can't take that from you...Not when...Not when I gave it to you in the first place..."

"So we'll start anew."

Regina leaned over to kiss the woman, but not before staring into those eyes that had captivated her so many moons ago.

Daniel was in there, that much was true, and somehow, some way, he had managed to come back through the person she had never thought would hold his memories.

He had been reincarnated into Emma Swan.

* * *

**A/N 2- Annnddd that's it! Please be sure to check out my RedBeauty story Follow Her, Protect Her! This is originally, in my mind, a oneshot, HOWEVER, depending on what you guys want, I might, MIGHT be inclined to turn it into something more. Lemme know!**


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N- So I know I said this was supposed to be a One Shot, but I managed to gather so many followers and favorites for it that I decided to make it into something to keep me occupied when I feel like writing SwanQueen. To clear any unsettled thoughts up, I know about the whole gender thing between Daniel and Emma, and that it could be weird seeing Emma as a reincarnate. However, there are many theories that follow this speculation, and I just so happen to be a believer of them. I am also a believer in past lives, and therefore I also know that there are moments in reincarnation where gender is not something that stays the same. Enjoy!_**

* * *

_It was the first time he had ever seen her cry, and that's when he knew he would do anything to keep the tears from falling._

_"I don't want her life!" She repeated for the second time that day, the young eighteen year old sobbed into her hands. _

_"I want a life of my own! I want a life with you...I'd give anything up for it. Power does not matter to me." _

_"Regina..." _

_His voice was calm, comforting as his arm snaked around her shoulder to pull the woman he loved closer. "Life...With a stable boy..With me..it's...it's far from life as queen." _

_"I don't care..." She quickly stood up, walking towards one of the horses, her back turned towards him._

_After a moment of thought, a smile erupted upon her features as she faced her love once more. _

_His heart leaped in his chest as her worry and sadness quickly turned to joy. _

_"What is it?"_

_"Daniel...do you love me?" She grabbed his hands and gazed into his eyes with an intense stare he couldn't stray away from._

_"Yes, I love you. More than the earth, the sun, the stars. Do you even have to ask that?"_

_"Then...Let's get married. Let's run away, leave this all behind. Leave this life and its rules in ruins. Marry me..."_

_Shock overcame his features, but was soon replaced by a gentle smile. _

_"I...I had planned...Had wanted to ask for so long...I held this with me, until I had the courage to ask you. But I would be delighted to marry you." _

_Reaching into his pocket to pull out a ring, he placed it on her finger, and they embraced, sharing True Love's kiss._

* * *

"W...What?!" Emma Swan had quickly sat up in bed, her heart pounding in her heaving chest, eyes glancing at the clock on the wall behind her.

The guest bed she had been sleeping on was drenched in sweat.

"Miss Swan?"

The voice rang through her ears, prompting her to switch from a nervous wreck to a somewhat more serene sense.

The door was slightly ajar, and peeking her head in was none other than Madame Mayor, who had been asleep a few doors down.

"Are you all right, dear?"

"I'm fine, Regina. And it's Emma, remember?" But her body betrayed her, her still form shaking from the memories flooding themselves through her dreams.

"What happened?" The brunette walked into the room, sitting at the edge of her guest's bed.

"I...I guess I just...I had a dream. It wasn't a nightmare, but..."

"You had a vision? Like the ones you told me Ruby used to have?"

"Yes...Only this time..."

"It was about Daniel?"

"And you..."

Regina's gaze quickly fell, staring at the floor in despondency; but a hand placed atop her own helped ease the somber mood.

"Oh? And...What was I doing there, in your dreams?"

"You...You begged him to leave...That your mother was...I guess she was trying to control you, wasn't she?"

"Yes. I remember it all too well. You see them because it's a part of you that has yet to fully come back...I see them...Well, they're nightmares more than anything else."

"I have some memories of what happened to my past self, but...things are still a little foggy."

Silence fell between them, until the blonde spoke up.

"Are you happy? I mean...You know, that I came back to you?"

"I am. But it's difficult. I've lived...It seems like forever without you. And here you are. You're Emma Swan. You're the woman that I thought cursed my life. But you're really..."

"No...I'm still me, I guess. I had always wondered how people like my parents, or Ruby, felt when they retained their memories. They were always them, you know, but they were someone else too. I have his memories, but...my soul is..Well, partially mine. My heart...or whatever is left of it, that's mine too."

Regina grasped the woman's hands, sensing an inner turmoil; for the blonde to find out who she really was for the second time in her life.

"Listen to me. I would never treat you any differently just because who you used to be is...Well, someone that I would've died for. But know that I waited, every day wondering if you would come back. How you would come back...I was lost without you..."

Emma leaned over, placing a soft kiss to Regina's cheek.

"And I, you."

But in that instant, Regina turned her head so that their lips brushed together in a kiss neither one of them could forget.

It was filled with passion, and warmth, something that had been missing from the brunette's life since she had lost the one person in the world who truly loved her.

"Regina..." Emma pulled away from the kiss, a sullen look still in her eyes.

"Yes, dear? What is it?"

"Can you promise me something?" The whisper in her voice made the brunette shudder, placing a hand atop the blonde's own.

"Anything."

"Don't...Don't do this unless you...Unless you're sure you want to be with me...With the Sheriff, with Emma Swan. I don't know how to explain who I really am...But...Just like I didn't fall in love with the Evil Queen..."

"...you don't want me to fall in love with the side of you I lost long ago..." The sentence finished from the older woman's lips caused her younger lover to nod.

"Yeah..." She felt it, rejection in her veins, pouring through her very core.

"Do you remember what happened yesterday?"

"How could I forget...I mean...It's when I started to remember everything."

"Yes, but why?"

The blonde raised a questionable eyebrow, but Regina urged her to answer the question. "Because we kissed."

"Right, and I didn't know anything about your lost memories until after we kissed, now did I?"

"No, you're right, you didn't. So what's the point?"

"The point, Emma, is that I fell for you before I found out this other side existed within you. So...I won't treat you any differently."

When confirmation of her feelings was finally played out to the blonde, Emma felt a bit better, and it enabled her to relax.

"I um...I'm not really sure if I'm going to wake up like this from another dream.."

"So what do you propose we do, Miss Swan?"

Rolling her eyes, the woman raised a finger to correct the former Evil Queen.

"Emma, remember? And...Maybe...you could stay here? With me?"

"All right, Emma. But stop being such a bed hog and scoot over. You're as thin as a damn rail and yet you need to take up the whole bed? I think not."

"Whatever you say, Regina..." The blonde moved to the other side of the mattress, a smile grazing across her lips.

"Whatever you say..."

* * *

They had agreed that only a few people would know of Emma's new-found identity.

So when her wide-eyed best friend stared at her from across the bar, she knew the woman with the red streaks in her hair could be trusted, as long as a threat was involved.

"Really? You're going to use that against me? Tell Belle all my dirty little secrets? C'mon Lemur, you can't be serious."

"But I am, Ruby. This is really...It's...It's huge! I mean, if that many people knew what I'm about to tell you, I'd be dead. There are people out there who want me killed, I don't need to give them another excuse to come after me."

"Fine, fine!" The waitress nodded. "I promise, not a word. So what's up? I mean, besides what's going on between you and Madame Mayor. That's a given right there."

"Ruby!" the blonde's face reddened and she turned away for a second, not denying nor confirming the woman's statement.

"I...You do know how she became who she really is, right?"

"I've heard about it. The stable boy. Snow mentioned him once...Cora killed him."

"Well...maybe his heart, but...his soul is a different story."

A pause in the air between the two of them caused the waitress to raise an eyebrow.

"Wait a minute...You can't be?"

She nodded her head, a crooked smile adorning her features.

"In the flesh."

"So...is that why you and Regina are..?"

"No! We kissed, and then these flashbacks I didn't even know I had came flooding back. It's weird, because I always wondered how you, my parents, hell even the whole damn town felt when they managed to have their memories come back to them. It's strange, because I have memories of him...yet there are still things that are blank."

"It's going to happen, you know. Because I was Red, then some crazy girl named Ruby. It was all fake. I don't think this is fake for you. I think it was buried there all this time, and you just needed a reason for it to come out. The kiss might've been that. Why would Regina kiss you out of the blue?"

"Because I took care of her...Maybe she was trying to show her gratitude?" Emma shrugged, but Ruby shook her head.

"Naw, she's not like that. Maybe...Maybe she really does care, eh, Lemur?"

When she didn't hear a response from Emma, her gaze ripped away from the counter top to glance at her friend.

But sitting there in shock, holding her shaking form, was Emma.

A whimpering sound escaped her lips as she fell to her knees, another flashback playing in her minds eye.

"Emma!" the wolf called, still unable to get through to the woman. She quickly picked up the phone and dialed Regina, telling the Mayor what was happening, instructing her to arrive at the Diner as quickly as possible.

When a cloud of purple smoke appeared around Emma's form, Regina held the woman tightly, staring at Ruby.

"What the hell did you do to her? And everyone accuses me of poisoning people..."

"Look, Madame Mayor, I didn't poison anyone! Emma was telling me about...Her new found discoveries regarding herself, and when I looked up she was like this! So spare me the bitchy attitude!"

Regina nodded, grumbling something that sounded like mock apology, her attention now fully on the blonde.

"She's having another vision. We have to calm her until it passes..."

"Emma, it's me...Regina...Can you hear me? It's..."

_"Regina?" _

_The brunette turned around, her gaze curiously wandering to the recognized voice that called her name._

_A figure stood next to the elder man, someone she had never seen before._

_"Yes, father? I'm right here. I'm just grooming Rocinante. Don't want his coat to become dirty. You know how mother feels about that."_

_"I know, and that's why I've hired some help around the stables. This is Daniel, he's agreed to work around here for the time being. And for a hefty pay, wouldn't you agree boy?"_

_The young man chuckled, and with a shake of his head quickly dropped his gaze to the floor. _

_It was inappropriate for some dirty commoner to gaze upon such beauty as the young woman before him._

_"Sir, I do not demand a price from you, and will be satisfied with what you give me. Though I do guarantee work like you've yet to feast your eyes on."_

_"Wonderful! Well, I must be going. I thought it would be wise for me to show you around your place of work. If there is anything else you need, be wise to call upon the garden hands. They will show you as to where everything is kept."_

_And with that, Prince Henry walked away, leaving the boy to his assignments. He had never mentioned this to his daughter, but the sight of the two of them together had given him hope for the girl's future._

_"This is a beautiful steed. You must be an experienced rider?" Daniel's voice broke the lingering silence, but the young woman before him continued to stay quiet._

_The more he glanced at her, the more he noticed how quiet she seemed to stay._

_"Are you all right M'lady?"_

_"M...Mother always said to keep quiet around the common folk," Regina softly muttered, and the young man was taken aback for a moment._

_"Well I'm not just common folk. I work here now. So maybe your mother will make an exception for me?"_

_"Mother makes an exception for no one." _

_He didn't know if she were kidding, or being serious, but the strictness of her tone made the stable boy back away for a moment._

_Regina noticed how once again, someone in her life managed to nearly run from her; whether it were fear or unkindness she did not know._

_"I'm sorry. I do not wish to be like Mother, but...Her ideas, the things she instills upon me. It's very frightening."_

_"That's all right. I am no threat to you. What's the harm in being friends?" He asked, and a tiny grin made its way to the young woman's lips._

_"I suppose. My name is Regina."_

_"Very nice to meet you, M'lady. You may call me Daniel."_

* * *

Emma started groaning softly, coming back to reality.

Everything seemed to be all right...

Until Ruby came back with an ice bucket filled with water.

"Back away, Regina, this is gonna get messy." She dumped the bucked atop her friend, only to hear the screams of a very shocked Emma and an extremely infuriated Granny.

"Ruby Lucas, what the hell were you thinking? Is there a damn brain up there in that thing you call a skull?! Look at my floors!"

"I'll mop it later, Granny! Emma was practically in a coma just now!"

The blonde spit and sputtered, her eyes opening as she realized how bad her drenched form really was.

"Why?!" She stared up at the waitress, then at Regina, pleading to be taken away.

Not a moment later, they vanished out of the Diner, back into the Mayor's home.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N- Holy wow! So I want to take the time to thank all of you who have reviewed, favorited, and followed. Seriously, I called up my real life brother Seven and literally cried to him at how happy I was to have amazing people show how much they enjoy this story.**

**So now, if it's all right, I need a slight favor from you guys. Since the story is doing so well, I want to give it a proper image in the left hand corner. Something to finally give it what it deserves. Not only am I NOT a photoshop person, but I really don't have the time. So if someone who adores this story would be so kind to make a cover image, I'll post it and give you a shout-out in the next chapter. And if there's more than one, then I'll change it up every so often. Just PM me with a link if you decide to make something! It will be extremely appreciated!**

**One more thing, the sheltered quote David mutters to Snow early on is something I found said by Rabindranath Tagore. Credit goes to him.  
I don't own OUAT, all credit to the proper people. All mistakes are mine.**

* * *

"I was a young girl when I saw them together for the first time..." The pixie-haired woman sat at the dining table in her apartment, a mug of coffee in her hand.

Her husband had taken the initiative to sit next to her, his arm draped around her mid-waist, hand gently caressing her back.

"Regina had already been promised to my father, and something in the pit of my stomach told me it wasn't a happy occasion. What did I know? I was young, and I only wanted to see him happy after my mother passed. He was...He meant more to me than the entire world."

David's hand moved from the woman's back to holding her hand in comfort.

"The stable boy embraced her as if they had known each other since the dawn of their lives, as if everything was in sync. And they kissed as if the only other person who mattered in this world were standing right in front of them. I was only a little girl, so I did not understand much behind True Love. Regina explained it to me afterwards, telling me it was the most powerful love of all. I wish now that I didn't overlook the hope in her eyes, thinking that everything would've been all right.

But I couldn't keep my promises; even for her."

Snow looked lost for a moment as she delved deep within the memories that had plagued her since her daughter, Emma, had so easily saved the woman she dubbed the Evil Queen.

"She begged me to keep quiet. And I had seen the worry on the young man's face prior. He really cared about Regina. I guess part of me was naive. I had lost my mother, and...I didn't want to see any more pain grown from that...So when Cora had suspected something...When she told me she only wanted her daughter's happiness, I couldn't stop the words from spilling outward."

For a moment, her gaze focused on her husband, Charming, the man who had supported her through everything.

And then the tears clouded her vision, the sight of the person she had fallen for blurred within the tribulation of her confession.

"You have to understand...All Regina put me through? I never...It would never measure to what I had done."

But the man before her had other opinions on the subject.

"You didn't make her that way, Snow. You didn't put a gun to her head and force her to become the horrible person she has been all these years."

"Charming, you don't understand! I...I broke her. I shattered her heart because I didn't want to face the consequences of what would happen if she didn't marry my father. And part of me still wonders if I had purposefully sabotaged everything just so she wouldn't run away from the proposal."

David stared at his wife, the thought of someone as kind as Mary Margaret hindering someone's happiness because of her own selfish needs was not an action he could ever see her completing.

"What happened to Daniel?" The curiosity in the man's voice echoed around the room, and a big gulp of air was taken before Snow began her explanation once more.

"Cora...She ripped his heart out, and she turned it into dust. There's...There's no coming back after that."

"So...if there's no coming back...then...How is our daughter...?"

"I think somewhere in her heart, Regina always held hope that he'd return to her. The fact that he managed to stay alive within Emma is something I will never understand. But what I do know is how Regina's heart is probably finally at peace, knowing that the soul she loved most in the world crossed through time and space just to be with her. And I'm the one that brought them together."

Throughout all the tears and affliction, throughout their constant unsettled feud, Snow White finally redeemed herself for what she had done to the woman all those years ago.

"Promise me something?"

Charming nodded his head, lifting the woman's hand to place a kiss upon her knuckles.

"Anything."

"Let them be. If there's anything in this world I can offer, it's a chance to give both of them something I know they've both always wanted."

"And what's that, Mar?"

"...A family."

David was shocked at his wife's words, knowing how hard it must have been for her to admit them.

To say from her heart that their daughter and the one woman who had continued to make their lives insufferable would be considered something stronger than the bond Emma would have with her parents.

He doubted himself.

Doubted how far away he'd be able to stand, knowing somewhere deep in the tresses of her heart the Evil Queen still lived inside Regina.

"And you, Snow? What will you do? If I have to restrain myself, then what about you?"

The woman eyed their entire kitchen area, her gaze taking in everything except her husband's eyes.

"I want our daughter to be happy. But if I have to, I'll protect her, Charming. Because I'm her mother. And I'd shelter her from any malevolence in this entire world."

He scooted his chair back, placing a kiss to her temple, pulling away to shake his head.

"Emma is strong. She's not the kind of person to be sheltered from danger. She's the type to be fearless when facing it. This is her destiny," he remained silent after that, disappearing back into their bedroom whilst leaving his wife alone to think.

* * *

They had arrived at the brunette's home, and with not a moment to spare the older woman was rummaging through her closet to help her house guest dry off.

"I swear, Miss Lucas is such an idiot. I wonder where the rest of her gene pool comes from since she lacks any form of refinement," Regina grabbed the blonde a towel and a change of clothes, setting them on the bed as she walked out of the room, leaving the woman to her privacy.

"It woke me up though!" Emma shouted. When she could tell the brunette had traveled far enough in the house to where she'd be oblivious to any sound, the blonde grabbed her head and sobbed into her hands.

The actions that had resulted in this day and the days prior had managed to shake the very core of her sanity.

"Who am I?"

The soft whimper escaped her lips, and not soon after, a calming voice of reason whispered its thoughts to her disheveled mind.

_You know who you are, Emma Swan._

_You are more than just a new-found identity._

_Your death was tragic, the pain you went through unbearable._

_You are me._

_And I am you._

Emma had thought she were alone in the guest bedroom, but when the form of a man appeared next to her, she quickly rubbed her eyes, thinking it was a trick.

And when he didn't disappear, she rubbed them harder, nearly raw.

"Ok, I'm not crazy, who the hell are you? You better jump out of whatever window you came in, or the Evil Queen will send you out with something more than a broken ego."

_I'm you, Emma._

_Your son had once said that those from our world don't remember who they are. Did you think you were excluded?_

"You're...You're really...?" When the man nodded, the blonde could only grin.

"Wow, I really was good looking back then too, huh? Ok, so, how is this possible? She killed you. Cora..."

_I know. But love can live on. The love you have felt for Regina, the feelings that have grown within you since you've first arrived here, they were always there._

"It's not because of you though. I'm...I'm my own person. I have my own soul...And up until a few days ago, my heart was still full. I want to be with her because it's my decision, and not something I've taken from me in a past life."

A perplexed look had been plastered all over the man's face.

_You are definitely something. And she cares for you as well, it's so simple to see that. But...can a hardened heart soften? Or is it too late?_

"You're doubting her, then?"

_No. Not doubting...I just know Cora's abilities. You merely had a taste of it, while I...I was much more than just someone she tried to kill...I was.._

"Her greatest victim...I know that, but I see Regina changing every day...I believe in her, even when everyone else has thrown her to the wolves."

Emma's curiosity had gotten the best of her, and she stared into the eyes akin to her own.

"Why are you here?"

_Because you need me. _

_Because you're confused about who you are. _

_We are one in the same, Emma. Don't doubt that._

_I exist in you. My soul is a part of your own. Every time you did something you had deemed impossible, there was always a part of you pushing to make it happen..._

_Don't fall so easily because you fear what you don't understand...There are people in this world who will find out where your memories lie and use it against you. Or better yet, use it to hurt those you love._

_Protect her, Emma. Do what I failed to do all those years ago._

The presence of the man in the room started to wither, and Emma could tell Daniel's time was almost up.

"Will I see you again?"

_I'm always here, in your heart. I guess that's something I still envy you for having...If you ever need me, call upon me in desperation._

_I believe you can help her..._

_You can be that stable girl she's needed all this time._

The man quickly faded from the blonde's vision, and Emma felt a strong presence throughout her very being.

Almost as if someone were shaking her...

"Emma? Emma, wake up...You're going to catch a cold if you don't get out of those clothes..."

The blonde groaned, opening her eyes and shivering slightly.

"Regina? W...what happened?"

"You were supposed to be in here, changing so you don't get sick. You couldn't have chosen a better time to fall asleep, Miss Swan."

"Sorry...I was...I guess all the events of the day really took a toll on me."

"It's quite all right. That has been the most peaceful I have seen you sleep in a while. I hope nothing plagued you like the last two times?"

The brunette was quick to take a seat on the bed beside the woman, worried for her safety and sanity.

"No, in fact...I think I'm starting to have a better understanding of what's happening. And I think there's a sense of acceptance there that maybe wasn't there before?" Emma laced her fingers with Regina's own, resting her head on the woman's shoulder.

"Comfy, are we?"

"Well, only because it is you."

"Emma...what are you doing? Why are you..."

The blonde could only smile, leaning over to place a single kiss upon her lover's jawline.

"I'm saving you, Regina. Because I know the true you is still in there."

The brunette's heart leaped at the woman's words, but her pride wouldn't allow the feelings among them to progress any further.

"You don't know that. You couldn't possibly think that I would be anyone else but the Evil Queen."

"Don't run away from it. The Evil Queen would not have taken care of me these past few days. She would have thrown me out and laughed at how stupid the idea sounded. And then she would presume to pull my heart out of my chest for shits and giggles. That's not you. That's..."

A pause in the blonde's explanation made the brunette glance up into greenish-blue eyes.

"...That's not the woman who kissed me, who helped me remember the things I never even knew existed within me..."

"How do you know it's not because of _him_? How sure are you that I'm not falling in love with the side of Daniel that still remains?"

"It's because you're terrified, Regina. You see this amazing thing before you and you can't help but break it because of the fear."

"You have no idea what I've been through. You have no idea what fear is like. So stop thinking you know damn near everything, because to be honest, Miss Swan, you know nothing!"

"I know nothing?" It happened in an instant. Emma quickly jumped up and pinned Regina to the wall of the guest room, her heart had been breaking, but her mind knew this was a ploy for the Evil Queen to fix everything; for what was dubbed as weakness to become strength once more.

"Let me go, Miss Swan. I've beaten you down before, and I'll do it time and time again."

Ignoring her threats, the blonde continued to hold the woman she loved in a constricting grip, trying to help her regain some sense.

"You forget, Madame Mayor, I was there! Those memories that keep bleeding into my very thoughts are here! All in my head! How many hearts did you have to pull before you felt _nothing_ anymore?! The one thing that I went through that tore apart what we stood for and you decide to reenact it on innocent people!"

"Shut up!" Regina quickly broke Emma's hold on her, thrusting her hand into the woman's chest and gripping her heart, pulling it out for both of them to view.

The organ itself was whole, but part of it held no life to it; it was dark with no beat, as if it had merely been destroyed a long time ago.

"Look at what she did to you..." the older woman was so transfixed with what she held in her hand that she didn't notice the blonde reach out to touch it, squirming slightly at the feeling of pressure upon her chest.

"Regina, please...Come back to me...Please..." Emma grabbed the woman's chin with her index finger and thumb, noticing how her irises had gone from a breathtaking brown to a soulless black.

She brought them together for a kiss, enabling the brunette's mind to come back to reality; regaining her senses, the woman placed the heart back where it truly belonged.

The air around them was thick with betrayal.

When the blonde breathed a sigh of relief, she watched the saddened gaze of a woman who was so petrified she reverted back to the very person she desperately avoided becoming.

"Miss Swan, there is one thing I believe you should understand after what happened just now...The Evil Queen still lives. She's the part of me that will never go away. And I won't let anyone near her, even if that means walking away from someone I care deeply about."

"Don't do this. Don't turn your back on everything that you've accomplished...everything we've accomplished together."

"Don't you get it? Or are you too stupid to comprehend rejection? There is no us! You left me-"

"What are you talking about, Regina? When have I ever-?"

"You know what you did! You left when I needed you most! You knew how my mother was, and yet you preceded to believe my mother would change! The reason your heart stopped beating was not because you so valiantly tried to protect me! It's because you fell for that woman's tricks!"

A vision flashed before Emma's eyes.

Something she had yet to recall.

A searing pain ripped through her chest and she could see the scene of a man dropping to the floor playing before her eyes. It was so vivid and real she had to take a breath to keep her heart from pounding in her chest.

"I was so alone, Emma! You were the only person in this world who cared about me, and you were gone! Eradicated by someone who we both knew was dangerous!"

"I...I'm sorry. I know you went through unbearable pain, and...I know I was most likely the cause of it, but things are different now. I've been given a second chance, and I want to help you through this..." The blonde was unable to distinguish where the words of comfort were coming from, for they seemed to be working for a split second; until the brunette turned her back on everything that had cultivated between them in the past few days.

Regina made her way through the door, unable to look back at Emma, to gaze into those eyes of the woman she knew would make everything all right.

"Regina, wait!" Emma drastically called from the bedroom, feet frozen in mid step as her heart sank in her chest.

Finally admitting defeat, she turned away to lay back on the bed, a soft breath of air escaping her lips.

_I love you..._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N- There are two things I want to address. I was feeling glum when I heard the SQ news, and that set me down a notch for finishing this chapter (the other part was work and planning to go to a Con this weekend, sorry guys). I will always be a SQ shipper (OTP is RedBeauty), and I love you all for supporting the writers, the fans, and the people who aren't shippers but know we deserve anything but being swept under the rug. I'm not going to give up on this story, its followers, its favorites, its reviewers, or those who are reading it now. I truly believe there are more of us hiding at different parts in the world than we know. We beat RumBelle (no offense guys) plenty of polling times, and in the total amount of Fanfics posted, so we are more than just a small fandom hiding in the darkness. And the recent events have proven that.**

**Secondly, this message is for the guest, Stefany, who posted a review that had me thinking the ENTIRE time I wrote this chapter. I appreciate the constructive criticism, and hope I have not lost you yet. There is more to come for our leading ladies, and maybe, just maybe you have helped me a bit in my skills as a writer. So for that, thank you :)**

* * *

"What the hell?!" Emma sat on the bed, wide eyed as she realized how badly her body had betrayed her.

"I'm Emma-freaking-Swan and I do not just let some Evil Queen get her way because she's deciding to throw a temper tantrum!"

Starting to pace the room, the blonde stopped in her tracks when she saw something that enabled her heart to stop momentarily.

Her reflection in the mirror.

It wasn't her own.

It was his.

"Are you going to follow me everywhere I go?" Came the glare, but she was surprised when the figure answered her back.

_No. Did you forget? I told you to call for me in despair. I didn't know that it would be this soon._

"All right, now I'm really not that envious of Mary Margaret, David, or hell even Ruby. Did they have to go through this crap when they realized who they actually were?"

_The difference in it seems to be that those around you only woke up to find out their true identity._

_Besides, I'm a part of you. A part that you've only recently discovered, but this is something you can't just up and run away from._

"I am not that person anymore! I am not someone who decides its best not to face my problems! And not until a while ago did I find out my true identity..."

_You were me at one point._

_Part of my soul has traveled on and now rests inside you._

"Spare me..Please. I know this already. Ok, so seriously, what's the deal? Now I manage to not only piss off the woman I care about, but don't even have the strength to go after her. That's not who I am, bub!"

The reflection went to speak, but she silenced that notion quickly.

"And another thing: Is this the person you want me to be that stable girl towards? Because I have some news for you, the Evil Queen gig? It's not worth it! It's not worth getting my heart broken over!"

_I know what it's like._

_The early onset of her demons. The fear of mistrust._

_And it's completely my fault._

_I betrayed her, in the worse way possible._

"You? How could you, the person she loved most in the entire world betray her?"

_I died._

Emma's jaw went slack for a moment, her heart in her throat and hands trembling.

She knew it was her fate too, and that's what she feared.

Knowing that she had died once; that her soul had gone through something so tragic it stayed in slumber until a kiss brought its wake.

"That's not your fault though. That could never have been your fault. It was Cora, she..."

But he silenced her yet again with his questioning, something that was quick to make her think.

_Have you ever wanted something so bad in this entire world you would do anything to accomplish the task of ensuring it?_

The thoughts of Henry, finding her parents, surviving foster home after foster home, and being able to finally have Regina in her arms crossed through the blonde's mind.

The last thing, however, she tried to desperately shake from her thoughts.

_You have. I can see that. I wanted it too. I wanted a life with this woman. I planned to run away with her._

_Me! A nobody._

"But you weren't a nobody, you were the stable boy at the estate."

_That was near nothing in my time. _

_I defied every set of law just to be with her. If we actually achieved what we did? We would both be accused of treason._

_And if we were caught?_

_I'd most likely be beheaded and she'd still be forced to marry that man, locked away for all eternity. _

_Death seems like a joyous occasion now._

"So this true love crap? What, you faced a hurdle and now you realized all along you were glad you practically ran away from it? Heh, you really are me, aren't you..."

_You don't understand. _

_I would've given the earth, the moon, the stars just to see her happy._

_In the end...I thought maybe her mother could have accepted us. _

_She tricked that man's daughter, and she apparently fooled me._

_I was young, and stupid. And I thought we could have finally been a family._

_To that woman, everything was a clever ruse. _

_Including the way she treated those other than her own flesh and blood._

"She went back to Cora, not too long ago...She turned her back on me, on those who thought she could have been family. So tell me, what 'ruse' is that? I gave her redemption, but she threw it away like it were nothing!" Stomping her foot down, she quickly managed to put heated feelings aside and resume pushing the truth forward.

_Poor girl. _

_You really are confused, aren't you? _

_How long ago was it when that woman tried to force your heart out of your chest?_

_Or did you not recognize the insanity in her eyes, and the fear in Regina's own?_

_You have a lot to learn, it seems._

Emma still retained the lost look upon her face, wondering how it was so easy for Regina to revert back to her evil ways.

She was sure it had something to do with the woman protecting her heart.

Or did she not notice the demon that lie cryptic inside Cora, waiting to strike at the happiness of everyone around her.

"She kissed me a few days ago. That's how I remembered who I really am. She didn't want us to stop...And then I hold her hand, show her just a bit of affection, and I get this? C'mon now. Who am I kidding? Maybe she didn't even want to kiss me, maybe this was just a ploy? I mean, what do you-?"

She turned her gaze towards the mirror, expecting an answer or a clever remark to any questions she had about the brunette.

But the only thing in the mirror now was her reflection.

Dammit.

"I guess these are one of those stupid things I have to find out on my own. Lucky me; my own past self can't even help me with my problems regarding the high-heeled, evilly regal pain in the ass also known as my son's other mother."

Rolling her eyes, the blonde plopped herself back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking of ways to take the other woman out of her comfort zone.

She would bring the woman she fell for back to her side, no matter what it took.

* * *

"Damn you, Emma Swan!" In her bedroom, Regina was pacing back and forth, a hundred things racing through her thoughts at once.

One sense of logic she couldn't get away from was the feeling that elicited from the blonde's act of affection.

The woman she had tried so hard not to become once more was whispering sweet nothings in her ear, things that made her deathly afraid to approach anyone offering a kindness like the Sheriff had.

The Evil Queen's words were sultry sweet; a promise of everything yet a result of nothing but destruction.

_Go ahead, take her. _

_And then destroy her. _

_You know its in you._

_You know its something you want._

_Or..._

_Oh, I understand now.._

_The wicked Queen has become quite...Vulnerable..._

_Look at how she adores everything about you...What will you do to sabotage it next?_

"Leave me be! You have no right to delegate anything regarding who I choose to put my feelings towards!"

_Did you think you actually had a choice? _

_Look at these people around you._

_It's not love. _

_They're terrified of you._

_The past has come back to her, you say?_

_Well, I'm sure you'll have fun breaking such a kindred spirit._

_That's what Mother did to Daniel, didn't she?_

_Rip his heart out?_

_Didn't it feel wonderful when you tried it yourself?_

"That's enough!" The brunette stared in the mirror, watching a reflection of her broken self, and that's when her fist went through the glass.

The shattering noise alone prompted one extremely curious blonde to run towards the sound, gasping in horror at the sight of the woman kneeled on the ground, clutching a bleeding hand in pain.

"Regina, what the hell is.."

"Miss Swan, as much as I would love to answer your questions, I find myself bleeding out on the floor. Now if you would be so kind as to help me avoid my imminent death, that would be wonderful."

Rolling her eyes at the woman's apparent sarcastic manner, Emma quickly ran to the bathroom, looking in the cabinets underneath the sink until she found the first aid kit.

When she came back, she noticed how pale the woman's usually tan skin seemed to be, as if she were losing the glow of life.

"Let me see your hand."

"Miss Swan, seeing as a monkey has better patching skills than you, it would be easier to accomplish this myself. Hand me the kit-"

"Stop! Just stop already! I'm fixing your hand up, Madame Mayor. End of discussion. And after that, we're going to talk about it. We're going to talk about how you so valiantly try to push me away after not only kissing me, but spending the night in the same bed so I wouldn't be alone.

Are you that sick and twisted that once you let someone in you have to run away as soon as their feelings develop? Did you do that with my past self too?"

"I loved Daniel! Never mistake what we had for anything else! You are a different story, or did you forget how you pleaded with me not to treat you like him?"

"I did! You're right! But how could I expect you to not see me as Daniel when all you have been towards me is the Evil Queen?! You always yell at me how I run away! How quickly I am to get out of your sight! News flash! That day at the stables? I helped you! I saved your life because that's what you do when you care about someone! And when I had those nightmares, when you stayed with me? What was that? Pity?"

"Miss Swan, I would absolutely love to argue the principles of why I do things the way I do, but alas, the open cuts on my hand do not delegate me to continue this conversation any further. Therefore, I will refuse to be so stubborn and actually allow you to help me."

"All right...Fine. Here..." Emma quickly wrapped the wound in a tourniquet and ran downstairs, fetching a lemon from the fruit basket upon the woman's counter.

"Funny, I couldn't have imagined you to have anything in that damn thing but apples..." The blonde murmured, then made her way upstairs.

The brunette sneered when she saw what the Sheriff was carrying. "Lemon juice in the wound? You have such a pragmatic way of thinking, Miss Swan. Perhaps Dr. Whale is in need of a new apprentice?"

"You really ought to shut up and pay attention, Madame Mayor, or maybe I should go back downstairs and fetch some salt?" When the woman rolled her eyes, Emma nodded. "Didn't think so. Now, hold this, tightly. When it hurts, you need to squeeze. I need to make sure there is no glass in your skin, and after that I will bandage you up."

Regina's eyes began to slightly water as Emma pulled tiny shards of glass out of her skin. She squeezed the lemon tightly, hoping to not crush it and enable the juice on her wood floors.

"There." Emma ran towards the bathroom, wetting a rag and washing the wound gently. Patching it up was the final easy part; and when

Regina was good and healed, the blonde leaned forward and placed a soft kiss upon the bandaging.

"Thank you, Miss Swan. You may exit now. I've no more need for your assistance."

But Emma stood her ground firmly, a glare upon her features.

"Ohhhh no, Madame Mayor, you're not getting away with this that easily. I want to know what's going on in that pretty head of yours."

Regina was having none of it, pushing Emma away with one hand and getting ready to walk away when a firm grasp kept her from leaving.

"Let me go, Miss Swan."

It wasn't a plea.

"Regina, why are you so content on leaving what we have in the dark? Is it him?"

"It has nothing to do with Daniel, if that's what you're implying...The past is in the past, Emma, and I'm not going to worry about revisiting it again."

"So this is about you?" Came the inquiry, as the brunette raised her eyebrow at the blonde's words.

"No."

"Don't lie to me! This is about how _you_ feel. You're afraid. You're terrified. It's not that hard to figure out. So tell me, what is the great Regina Mills so afraid of?!"

"Losing you!" The words slipped from her lips so easily, it almost went unnoticed by the other woman in the room.

"Wha-"

"I lost your soul once, Emma! In front of my eyes! I held Daniel while he died, and I felt nothing but pain for eons after! And now that you're back? Now that you remember everything? You think people aren't going to know? My mother is still out there! And if she didn't realize it before when she couldn't pull your heart out, then she probably knows about it now! That crafty woman will _kill_ you, and I will not go through that again!"

It was the care in the woman's voice that urged on the next question lingering in the air.

"Do you love me?" The words were out of the blue, but it was the only way the Sheriff was going to feel any sense of clarity; to know for sure the feelings surrounding the both of them.

When the brunette looked away, Emma's hand tucked under her chin, turning their gaze towards each other.

"Regina?"

They could both feel their breaths on each other's lips, the pull enabling them closer and closer to each other.

It would be a short time until they realized where the pull originated from, and why it was there.

The former Evil Queen pressed her lips into Emma's own, silencing her from the subject, but answering it in her own way.

Though she couldn't find the words to say it, a feeling was growing in Regina's heart.

Something that lay dormant for far too long.

* * *

"Tell me what you know!" The cloaked figure held Ruby high up in the air, by her throat, glaring into the wolf's eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" The waitress coughed, holding her neck in pain.

She was soon dropped to the floor, gasping for breath as she neared blackness, a fog cloaking her senses.

"There is a secret you are hiding from me regarding that damned, weak blonde woman you so easily call your Sheriff. And I will find out what it is. And since you won't tell me, for now?" The figure loomed over Ruby, thrusting her hand into the woman's chest and pulling her heart out.

"I'm borrowing this."

A pleased chuckle escaped the person's lips as they stared at the heart in awe.

"Well, well. The heart of a werewolf. I could definitely use this for a change..."

The last thing Ruby Lucas saw before passing out was a Cheshire grin, the clacking of heels against tile blared in her ears.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N- Hey guys. I want to apologize for the hiatus I've taken without notification. I know you probably hear this a lot, but I've been so busy I literally have no time for myself anymore. I'm trying my hardest to update when I can, and that means writing whenever I get a chance of free time. I really hope you are enjoying this story, and that you continue to stay with me through future updates. If there's something you like, don't like, think should be here, or not, WHATEVER, drop me a message. I'm always looking for that constructive criticism. You all are amazing. Keep being awesome :)**

* * *

Something very strange had been happening to Regina Mills.

The new-found discovery of the woman she despised most bearing the memories, and partial soul, of the man she had considered her first love put her mind in a jumble.

She had repeatedly kissed Emma Swan; indulged in the feelings that transpired between them.

It seemed as if things were making a turn for the better.

And despise her regained sense of happiness, there was a slight twinge in her brain which felt the need to act...well, malicious.

It first started before she shoved her fist through a mirror, the voice inside her head pushing the depths of her heart back into blackness.

"I can't let myself get close again..I...I won't let life repeat itself..." She buried her head in her hands, a whimper of desperation and pain escaping her lips.

_How do you know that's the way it will happen? _

_She cares about you..._

_And it has nothing to do with Daniel._

That sweet, enticing voice inside her head was soon replaced with the devil on her shoulder; the chip she had been carrying around for what seemed like decades.

_Do you really think you can get away with being Regina?_

_That name means nothing anymore, and Miss Swan knows it._

_She's just like him. _

_Think about it, are you so sure that he loved you?_

_Or did he try to use you as well?_

_Sounds like he was a pawn in Mother's game. _

_Or maybe..._

Regina could hear the smirk in her evil counterpart's voice, her heart catching in her throat at the woman's next words.

_Maybe it wasn't you he was really after..._

"Shut up!" Regina reached into her own chest, but she did not pull out her heart. Instead, a swirl of black smoke appeared before her; the Evil Queen in the flesh.

"What do you want? Why are you here?"

_Why am I here? That's a pretty simple question coming from someone who has obviously forgotten who they are._

"I know who I am!"

_Oh really? So, in love with the Savior? I know you want her. I felt that kiss. The one that awakened her. You really have changed. Did you forget why you truly enacted the curse?_

"You are young, and foolish. You don't understand anything! Everything has changed! I don't care about that anymore! I only care about-"

_My point exactly. _

_One day you'll see..._

When the entity faded, the brunette dropped to her knees, sobbing.

Feeling a comforting hand on her shoulder, she turned to see a familiar face staring back at her with a smile.

_She really is just like you, isn't she..._

The thought crossed her mind as the ghost vanished from her view and a familiar feeling returned to her chest.

The feeling that she was loved and missed.

That somewhere, the person she had once cared for was watching over her; protecting her.

* * *

"So what's going on with Madame bitchy-pants?" Ruby asked, her elbow on the counter as forest green eyes gazed into Emma's own.

"Hey, be nice. Besides...Your argument is invalid. I never see that woman in anything other than a skirt." When the chuckling subsided, the blonde's look became serious. She's...She's really changed, Rubes. I don't think she ever anticipated what has happened to be a possibility. Least of all happening to me, her worst enemy, you know?"

"I suppose. Em, you're...I know you're still you. I know this recent discovery doesn't change anything about you, but I want you to know that no matter what, I'm always going to be here for you."

She reached out, grasping the blonde's hand in her own and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Emma would've been shocked if it weren't her best friend on the other end of the counter; she thought nothing of it.

"I know, Ruby. And trust me, I really appreciate it. I can only hope you support the decisions I choose to make, no matter how strange they may be."

The wolf's eyebrow rose as she leaned forward to whisper in Emma's ear. The sultry sweet flow of words made the blonde shiver. "You and Regina?"

"I...Um...Well...She cares about me..and...Anyway, enough about Regina...How's Belle?"

The sudden change in topic threw the tension off for a moment.

"Hmm? Belle? Oh, she's doing fine. Always at the Library, that one. I can never tear her away from books. It's the one thing she loves most in this world, I swear.."

"Other than you? C'mon Ruby, that girl is so smitten for you. And I know how you feel about her..." At the mention of her girlfriend from the Sheriff, the woman's eyes flashed yellow for a moment, and she turned around to regain herself.

"Are you all right? You almost wolfed out on me for a moment there..."

"I'm fine. I'll be right back." She clutched her chest, dashing for the freezer, where she moved to the back where no one could hear her groans of agonizing pain; passing out the other night had rendered her without any memory of the transpired events.

It had been well over five minutes since the waitress excused herself, and when Granny was screaming for her granddaughter from the kitchen for the hundredth time, it alerted a feeling in Emma that told her there was something wrong.

She quickly made her way to the freezer, spotting Ruby in the back, clasping her chest as if she were having a heart attack.

"Hey! Rubes, are you all right?"

"Yeah...Just...Just cold...Sorry."

"Sorry? You're clutching your heart as if you're going to collapse on me. Are you sure you don't need help?"

"Emma...I'm fine...I..." Her eyes flashed yellow again and she moved closer to the blonde until the other woman's back hit the shelves holding up various types of frozen food.

"Hey...Ruby...Hello?" Flushed skin getting closer and closer to her own, the blonde tried to back away to no avail.

When the brunette's lips pressed against her friend's, Emma pulled away, shock adorning her features.

"Woah! Ruby? What was that all about? You have Belle, and I..." She almost wanted to say she had Regina; but the way the woman she cared about flip-flopped over her feelings confused her to no end.

"I...I care about someone. And not only that, but you can't do this to her, Ruby. You can't hurt the woman you love. She practically went through hell with Gold for how long before you two were together...Just...Just forget this ever happened. I'm not doing this. Please...Don't break your girlfriend's heart..."

The brunette nodded her head for a moment, eyes gazing at the ground in embarrassment.

"Em...You should go. I'm sorry."

Without hesitation, the blonde dashed out the freezer door. She couldn't hear the cry of pain coming from the wolf.

But the sorrowful sound that escaped her lips wasn't from rejection.

_Good girl. _

_Don't worry...I only need you for a tad bit longer. And then you can be with your precious Librarian again._

_But for now?_

_You belong to me._

* * *

Emma sat on the bench facing the sea.

The quiet and serene feeling of a strong, salted wind grazed across her face.

So many things raced through her mind; confusion being one of them. Life hadn't been any easier since she and Regina shared something indescribable.

And what was going on with Ruby?

"Emma?" Her thoughts were interrupted as the young voice of her son reached her ears.

"Hey kid, what are you doing here? Your Mom and grandparents must be worried sick."

"I...I wanted to talk to you about a few things that I heard-"

"Henry, what did I tell you about eavesdropping? How you shouldn't do it because two people like having a private conversation without someone listening in on their hidden lives?"

"I'm sorry...I couldn't help it...Grandma was crying, and Grandpa was...Well he was comforting her. I could tell they were talking about my Mom. But...they were also talking about..." He couldn't finish his sentence, only sat next to her, placing his hand on her own.

"Is it true?" The whisper was low, but the intensity in his eyes was something else.

"Yes...Henry, it's...It's true."

"Do you remember everything? About her Mom? About..."

"No. I don't know what that was like for him. Maybe there's things in his past that he doesn't want me to know about because he's afraid how I'll react. Everything is new and frightening. Henry, I'm...I'm still me...But who I am? I..."

"You are my Mom. You're Emma, the Savior. And maybe...Maybe you're Mom's first love too. You're brave, and noble, and you're just like him. You could save her...You could be her True Love..."

"That's crazy, kid. The woman doesn't think anything of me. I'm 'Miss Swan', 'Sheriff', nothing more, nothing less. The past few weeks have proven that..."

_It's almost like she wants to open up, like her heart wants me...But then something in her just pulls away..._

_Like that kiss we shared was everything...But she acts like its nothing..._

"Would you give up, though? Emma, haven't you been given a second chance? Hasn't Daniel?"

The blonde was taken aback at her son's statements.

"When did you get so smart about everything kid? You're growing up every day and...Yeesh, it's like I can't keep up. If it's one thing I have to thank Regina for, it's your intelligence," she ruffled his hair and grinned when he quickly tried to make it neat again.

"Some of it is from you, Emma. Please don't be afraid. I know my mom is scared. Wouldn't you be? If you lost someone long ago and found out they were back, how would you feel?"

The blonde's eyes peered away. She had known that feeling since the arrival of Neal.

And at first, she had felt anger towards the man for everything he had put her through. But when she thought about it, she couldn't hate him.

He had given her something that was so beautiful she had done what was best to protect it.

He had helped give her Henry. And that was enough to eradicate any negative feelings that brimmed in her heart during those years before she met her son.

She wondered how Regina must have felt, losing Daniel, yet having nothing but anger for so long that she managed to curse everyone who stood in her way; watching as his lifeless body was wrapped in her arms, and knowing there was nothing else she could do to get the person she loved back.

She didn't have a Henry.

She had nothing of his to carry on with her to ensure that his memory would be alive. Enacting the curse only had turned his memory into negativity; a reason as to why she became what she was for all those years.

_I'm a monster..._

"You're right, Henry. Look, the truth is I know nothing about this person I'm supposed to be. All I want is for your Mom to be happy. But she is so...she's confused about what she wants because she's afraid, just like I am."

The boy leaned up and hugged the woman tightly.

"So just be you? You're already an awesome person. The only thing different is that you have memories from someone else. That's all."

Emma laid back on the bench, her arm draped around the one person in the world she loved more than anything else.

They talked about school, about some things in her kid's life.

About a few things they didn't know regarding each other.

And never once did she feel alone.

* * *

"Ok, I got this...Regina, I think we should stop running around our feelings and...Dammit, it doesn't sound any better written on paper! She's gonna think I'm a huge idiot...More than she already thinks I am anyway..."

The blonde's rambling was cut short as the town Librarian burst through the door.

Emma hastily threw her letter in the desk, slamming the drawer shut.

"Uh...Hi, Belle...What can I do for you?"

"Yes...Can you help me? Please..." The woman's eyes were red, puffy, as if she had been crying.

"What's wrong?" Something didn't feel right, and pretty soon she was standing. Her chair pushed against the wall.

"It's..."

"Is Ruby all right?!"

"I don't know, Emma...I haven't seen her! She called me last night, and let me know she was coming home, but that was the last I heard from her! I went to Granny's and she said she hasn't seen Ruby since after closing last night!"

Heel-clad footsteps were heard against the floor, and the blonde looked up to see Madame Mayor in the flesh.

"Sheriff Swan, what's going on here? Why is there a concerned citizen in your office while you're standing here dumbfounded?"

"Regina, please, stay with Belle. I need to find Ruby. She's been missing since last night, and last time I checked wolfstime isn't for another two weeks."

And with that, she was out the door, looking for her friend. The worst possible scenarios going through her head.

"Ruby!"

The voice echoed through the woods echoing the response of a lone, familial, howl.

"Shit, Ruby!" Emma ran towards the noise, only to be cornered by the brunette.

But she didn't look like herself.

Something was off.

The smile that routinely accompanied her features was replaced with a primitive snarl. Her clothes were torn, stress accompanying her features.

"Rubes, it's me, Emma. Your Lemur, remember? What's going on? You've been acting strange. Belle misses you. Please, let's go home. You can make me those pancakes that are freakin' amazing..."

"She can't do that, dear. She has yet to fulfill the plans I have in store for her."

A grin in the darkness appeared as a cloaked figure stood behind the wolf-woman.

"You!"

Emma grabbed her gun from its holster as she watched the figure carefully place a hand on the brunette's shoulder.

"What did you do to Ruby?! Why are you here?!"

"Because, my dear, we have unfinished business! I'm here to take your heart. But I hear there is something oh-so-special about it! Would you tell me what it is?"

A voice in the back of the blonde woman's head screamed at her to keep quiet, and for a moment, barrel pointed at the cloaked person, Emma didn't dare raise a sound.

"No?" A sly grin was evident in the figure's words. "I hope you don't kill your crazed best friend, dear. She's already weak as it is..."

"Wait!" Emma called to the figure, watching the body fade in a heap of purple smoke.

She had never been so scared in her life, watching as her best friend transformed in mid-air, a row of sharp teeth aiming for her upper arm.

The wolf had acquired its target, her fangs sinking into the woman's bicep, knocking her gun away, and enabling the beast to pull back for another menacing bite; this time in the shoulder.

Blood seeped from her wounds as she reached for the gun, crawling to the weapon and trying to fend the beast off.

"I'm sorry...Ruby..." Came the whimper of pain as she shot the wolf in the shoulder.

Her body was unable to sustain any wounds and she found herself falling back into darkness.

* * *

_"Daniel?" The sultry voice of the young man's fiancee enabled his eyes to quickly open, glancing around the stables for any sign of trouble. _

_Tonight was the night._

_They would run away, finally be together._

_Husband and wife. _

_"Regina? I'm here," he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in for a passionate kiss._

_"Are you ready my love? Or...is that doubt in your eyes?"_

_"No doubt, my Queen. Excitement...Happiness. I am so lucky to have you in my life. But I do fear for us. I fear what would happen if-"_

_He was soon cut off as the young woman pressed a finger to his lips._

_"Then we will run. But I will not lose you. I will not marry that man. Not when I love another. His daughter looks up to me, and maybe I can teach her a thing or two about true love. Maybe I can teach her to stand up for what she truly believes in instead of this world picked out for her by someone other than herself," tears brimmed in her eyes as she imagined a cruel fate for Snow White, the girl who held her secret dear._

_The only person she trusted besides the man before her._

_They embraced again, one final time in this wretched place, before turning towards the stable doors._

_This was it, all it took were a few steps, and she was free._

_They dashed out together, hand in hand, ready to face the world on their own, a life they had dreamed of living._

_But it was all stopped abruptly when _she_ showed up._

_Cora Mills._

_"Mother?" Regina wondered how the woman knew, and quickly her mind went to that little girl she had treated like a lifeline._

_"What do you think you're doing, Regina? Turning everything we've worked hard for into nothing? You run away from your future husband, the King no less, to be with this man who has nothing? What could a Stableboy offer you?! Nothing!"_

_"I don't care! I'm leaving with him! This is my true love, mother! Don't you remember what that was like?"_

_She saw the wheels turning in her mother's head, as if reminiscing on the past. And for a moment she wondered if it really were her father playing in the woman's memories._

_"I understand how you feel, my child. And I only want what's best for you. I know you are in love, but to throw it all away? Are you sure it's what you want?"_

_Regina smiled genuinely._

_"More than anything in the world." And she embraced her mother, the woman wrapping her arms around her daughter, whispering in her ear._

_"I only want you to be happy..."_

_Daniel walked over to the pair, smiling down at Cora, noticing how she smiled back at him, as if accepting their relationship._

_"Your Highness, I assure you that I can protect your daughter. I might seem like someone you would deem worthy, but I promise that I will do whatever it takes to make her happy. I know you want what's best for Regina."_

_"You're right. I do...I always want what's best for her."_

_The woman's smile became maniac as she thrust her hand into Daniel's chest, pulling out his heart._

_He fell to the floor, gasping in pain as she squeezed the muscle until it turned into dust. _

_His eyes closed, his heartbeat ceased, and all that remained of the young man was the lifeless body in his lover's arms._

Back in Storybrooke, in the hospital ward, room 146, Emma Swan awoke screaming, her hand clutching her chest as if her heart was reduced to nothingness.


End file.
